English Poetry. Anne Finch, Countess of Winchilsea. A Letter to Daphnis. Энн Финч, графиня Уинчилси.

Anne Finch, Countess of Winchilsea (Энн Финч, графиня Уинчилси)

A Letter to Daphnis

This to the crown and blessing of my life,
The much loved husband of a happy wife;
To him whose constant passion found the art
To win a stubborn and ungrateful heart,
And to the world by tenderest proof discovers
They err, who say that husbands can’t be lovers.
With such return of passion as is due,
Daphnis I love, Daphnis my thoughts pursue;
Daphnis my hopes and joys are bounded all in you.
Even I, for Daphnis’ and my promise’ sake,
What I in women censure, undertake.
But this from love, not vanity, proceeds;
You know who writes, and I who ’tis that reads.
Judge not my passion by my want of skill:
Many love well, though they express it ill;
And I your censure could with pleasure bear,
Would you but soon return, and speak it here.

Anne Finch, Countess of Winchilsea’s other poems:

1. The Tree
2. Adam Posed
3. The Introduction
4. On Myself
5. To the Nightingale

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